The present invention relates generally to vehicles and, more particularly, to passenger seats and interior door panels for vehicles.
Conventional seats in passenger vehicles typically include a system of interrelated steel springs mounted to a frame upon which one or more cushions are placed to support the weight of a person sitting thereon. Unfortunately, conventional passenger vehicle seats can be somewhat heavy and bulky devices. Furthermore, little, if any, room may be available beneath conventional passenger vehicle seats for the purpose of storing articles.
With increasing emphasis being placed on increasing storage capacity within passenger vehicles, there is a need to provide passenger vehicle seats with storage space therebeneath. Also, with increasing emphasis being placed on reducing unnecessary weight in passenger vehicles, there is a need for lighter weight vehicle components including passenger seats. Furthermore, vehicle manufacturers are continuously looking for ways to reduce vehicle manufacturing and assembly costs.
Passenger vehicle seats referred to as xe2x80x9csuspension seatsxe2x80x9d are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,089 to Abu-Isa et al. describes a passenger vehicle seat assembly having a frame and an integrated elastomeric filament suspension and fabric cover stretched across and attached to the frame to provide a low profile finished seat or back rest. Suspension seats can facilitate reducing vehicle manufacturing and assembly costs because various components, such as springs, can be eliminated. Unfortunately, suspension seats may not provide a passenger sitting thereon with as much comfort as traditional seats that utilize conventional springs and cushions.
Vehicle interior door panels conventionally include one or more structural members formed from rigid material, such as plywood or fiberboard, that are secured to the inside of a vehicle door. Various amounts of cushioning and sound-deadening material are secured to the interior face of these structural members. One or more layers of fabric typically cover the cushioning and sound-deadening material to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Unfortunately, fabrication and assembly of conventional vehicle interior door panels may be somewhat material and labor intensive.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to facilitate reducing manufacturing and assembly costs associated with vehicle passenger seats and interior door panels.
It is another object of the present invention to provide lightweight passenger vehicle seats that are as comfortable to passengers as conventional vehicle seats utilizing cushions and springs.
It is another object of the present invention to facilitate increasing storage space beneath vehicle passenger seats.
These and other objects, according to one aspect of the present invention, are provided by a passenger seat for a vehicle that includes a frame configured to be secured within a passenger compartment of a vehicle and a resilient, contoured suspension member attached to the frame that is configured to support a person sitting in the seat. The resilient, contoured suspension member includes first and second fabric panels joined together along respective perimeters thereof. The first fabric panel is formed from a first set of flat-woven fibers and the second fabric panel is formed from a second set of flat-woven fibers that may be different from the first set of fibers.
The first and second fabric panels are also joined together along spaced-apart intermediate portions thereof to form one or more sets of internal passageways that extend along respective directions. Each internal passageway is filled with a resilient material such as polyurethane foam.
An important advantage of the present invention is that resilient, contoured suspension members, according to the present invention, can provide vehicle passengers with comfortable, yet firm, support and will not bottom-out when a vehicle encounters a rough road surface or goes over a bump. At the same time, the fabric panels encapsulating the resilient material within the internal passageways can provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance and can be readily assembled onto a seat frame. Accordingly, fabrication and assembly costs for vehicle seats incorporating the present invention may be reduced. Furthermore, increased storage space within a vehicle may be provided without sacrificing passenger comfort.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an interior trim panel for a vehicle door, includes a contoured member attached to an interior surface of a vehicle door. The contoured member includes first and second fabric panels joined together along respective perimeters thereof. The first fabric panel is formed from a first set of flat-woven fibers and the second fabric panel is formed from a second set of flat-woven fibers that may be different from the first set of fibers.
The first and second fabric panels are also joined together along spaced-apart intermediate portions thereof to form one or more sets of internal passageways that extend along respective directions. Each internal passageway is filled with a resilient material such as polyurethane foam.
Advantageously, rigid, durable and aesthetically pleasing vehicle interior door panels can be provided according to the present invention. The contoured panels according to the present invention may eliminate the need for separate supporting panels. Accordingly, fabrication and assembly costs for vehicle door interior trim panels incorporating the present invention can be reduced.